| 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENN

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"AGENCY:
RECORD NUMBER:
RECORD SERIES:

AGENCY FILE NUMBER:

EDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
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AGENCY INFORMATION
FBI
124-10218-10058
HO

2-2173-1ST NR 130

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR: DOS

FROM: . SAUNDERS. HAROLD H. |
TO: THE SECRETARY
\ TITLE:
DATE: 10/18/1976
PAGES: 10
SUBJECT: CASTRO, FIDEL, SPEECH, ALLEGATIONS, CIA INVOLVEMENT, CUBANA

AIRLINER, BOMBING

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER. TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

ORIGINAL Secret NEW
CLASSIFICATION: CLASSIFICATION:
REVIEW_DATE: 05/12/1998 UPDATE_DATE:
STATUS Redact a :
RESTRICTIONS:
JFK Act 6 (1)\(B)
JFK Act 6 (4)
COMMENTS: INC MEMO

HY 50953 Docld: 32296782 Page 1

ey

ECRET/SENSITIVE

wots : . 7 a Se Df, ae a
ditional 1 Questions: (answers. and comments needed by ae

Late HOFARRG 8) “Gstober 20) r

OC ny bart Binssries:

She’ ora had any relationship with - Posada’ 8 Anvestigative ,
agency Or any other business he may. have had? oa

2. Ginat was the nature of the ‘contacts CIA had with. ‘Posada. oo 4

after he w g terminated? Mnat did the contacts haya to do rn |

with Cuba? Ys) . oo ES ea Shey BS Ss, :
i

“ ae “ : : te?

3. Gino we was “the visa. ‘for that Posada ap roached the cra ‘and a
the. Gefensa attache about in June: 1576? ) vag face Fett gaa veo

2 oe ‘Does ‘the CIA believe that the source af ‘TDFIR pp-315/10256 i
< deliberately, delayed passing. on Bosch's and Posada! s.. remarks fi
about nitting | a Cuban | ‘Plane until” after the incidents?

ae “Deas ‘the CIA have any ‘additional relevant information
On any of the people named in the draft metoranduu, or any.

ther information relating to the sabotage of the plane, —
hich it has not yet disseminated in TDPIR form? ©

6." vould CIA please provide whatever information it-has
concerning Orlando Garcia and Ricardo Morales so that para.
b on page a of khe ‘Graft memorandum can tbe completed?

HY 50953 Docld: 32296782 Page 2


. SECRET
. SENSITIVE

er ee

‘by Cuban counterrevolutionaries. Now we
. . foo
decidedly believe the first assumption is correct.

_ The CIA directly participated in ‘the destruction

. “of the Cubana aircraft in Barbados." 7
ame principal leaders of ‘Cuban exile terrorist:
groups are closely Linked through the CORU organi- i

‘zation to CIA activities against cuba.

“In his speech, castro did not make any "specific alles |
 jaklone concerning a USG relationship with orlando Bosch,
or Luis Posada (two: Cuban exile activists who were ‘arrested

by Venezuelan authorities ain connection with the ‘Cubana oy

rash). | However, the Link. with Bosch is implied since. he

see beeen Sabah a Ra PR tars ese todetaerecdint hatte lnteee ce tebe Ticats wenaeentieciites Dow a

as reported to be chief of CORU, the umbrella | organization

‘of Cuban exile terrorists.

:
i
‘
i
i
!

Individuals Allegedly Involved

‘Hernan Ricardo Lozano.
acs Involvement in the Crash: . He was, arrested | in -
| Trinidad on suspicion of ‘having planted a bomb in the Cubana:

a plane. Caracas radio announced on October. 1g that he.

G)

: confessed to ‘sabotaging the airliner. a Gul] source. in,

7) Caracas reports that Ricardo may have been trained in the

e

use of explosives and investigative techniques by Luis

-Posada.. (cza information: also. reveals that Trinidadian.

“officials have told the Venezuelans ‘that they have a cape]

oe

SECRET

HY 50953 Docld: 32296782 Page 3

SECRET
| SENSITIVE

(s)

“their, participation | in the bombing,

“Ricardo, a. Venezuelan citizeng, a photographer employed a
AL woe

Paar . - :
by Posada ‘in- his” industrial-security firm -in-

As) |

. Gra] source says ‘that Ricardo is also a part time 2 employes

of

oof. the Venezuelan, Intelligence service (DISIP) . 7 “He reportedly.

eee . al. : an

oe gathered photographic material . on groups: “ana Endividuals: of

4

i
interest to DISIP and the Venezuelan Governttent. ; “He was :
ae a b: - ace i . cece ne wy be

hired ‘by DISIP when Pasada wae Sbeician of that. organization. oo
the cp says that the Venézuelan Government is . are = ;

_ eoncerned and: would be Faced ith s serious problems if these or

_ ‘eonndetions become public rendvnease, :

opp. Relationship with US:. [Era states it has had no -

a

7 contdct with nicaraoy? The. us Legal. Attache in ‘Caracas, ; _
2 Lo Ss ee

. Jose yh Leo says that he has had. some “dealings with, Ricardo for

- help fin ex editing visa application for a’ Distp official's
ee curl 4 Kecwides. faa » Fes enn neTea Heard Saeed Ls
son, nset£. He also contacted: Le evo times to TiEnished

f.
.. phot graphs and biographical data on members of ‘the Cuban

Emba Sy ‘in Caracas.. “Apparently, the material” came ‘from DISIP.
-Rarantio aff

ae fileg.| During one visit, attempt to solicit: suggestions, from

. the egal Attache on activities which might be directed oe fi
oT . rAd

a im o

“}. against the Cuban Embassy by an anti- Castro ) group to which he '

oe! te ceereisteier bbe percent aie wat sienna, es aaah nena int tte tne ann ae its

HY 50953 Docld: 322796782 Page 4

"Ricardo never repeated ele suggestions.)

"Freddy Lugo

: a. Involvement in the crash: — Lugo. was arrested in

Trinidad with Ricardo | OR _suspl “S of haying, planted the bomb

aboard: the Cubana’ “plane. eft NEC e alleges: that bugo-
"apparently was: only periphex ally involved in the “pombing and’
ois not considered to. be one of the, leading participants. |
“Lugo, a Venezuelan citizen, is also a. . photographer :

: »)-: a
~ employed by Posada’ s comps ay. “according to G cra) source, he

». also. worked fox’ IsIP under ‘the s ame arrangements noted above

for Ricardo.
"Relationship - withs US: (Fra states ‘that it: has had
eno ‘contact with om ae nae cand phone number of US ‘Legal|

“Attache Leo were discovered, in Lugo! Ss. address: ‘book when her

e

‘ Rare)
_ was arrested in mrinidad. _ beo says. that he has had ¢a
', contact with Lugo and specul lates t that his name and ‘phone were

"furnished to Lugo py. Posada. a

- Bhis Posada | cartiles

7 a. Involvement ‘in ‘Crash: ~ posada vas arrested on: -
October 14 in Venezuela ‘along with orlando. ‘Bosch and three

"others accused: of conspiring to sabotage the plane. Posada,

/ a Cuban exile who is now a Venezuelan citizen, is vehemently

pre

SC , SENSITIVE SO a

i—-Castro and : is - suspectd ‘of having been the main | supporter

of Bosch ‘during the ‘latter! Ss “atay in Venezuela prior to being

9 Aen ctnaeremtatinsteet bee treet ote, cme Seti nab sans miTambe A retry: tac imebinatdechintiatbainanain sat abet

HY 50953 Docld: 322796782 Page 5

“SECRET. 200
_ SENSITIVE. ie

“8 7p _

“arrested in "November 1974. ‘Posada was “formerly chief of the

4

~ counterintelligence « division of the Venezuelan intelligence

 pervice, DISIP.

be Relationship with US, ron says that Posada was a

~. fpaia” informant. The relationship was discontinued in- “guly

“1967, put contact was reestablished, in October of the same

-yeart] 9 When he lost his position in DISIP. in “March. 1974, CIA ZO

oo gays [exe. relationship was "amicably terminated. " ‘Though he

"was not paid thereafter, CIA continued ‘to have fecasional

WV MELEE einen tee ce Medea nent oe

~~ contact with him until February 1976 when a formal written,

agreement of termination was signed. The ‘latest contact |

a

AEE A ac A an tggA Me

between | CIA representatives and Posada occurred in June 1976
when CIA ]aeciinea to assist Posada on a visa’ matter 6)
| ‘The US army attache has: also used a “Posada business,
partner (also ‘a Cuban exile, whose name we do not have) as.

an informant (though 1 not as an agent).

os a our ‘Legal Attache (Joseph Leo) became ‘acquainted with

"Posada during the latter! s enploynent [By pista, dnd a after: el

his | resignation, Posada continued to contact Leo on rare’ oN

‘occasions, usually in order to obtain "persdhal service in

a regard to visa requests for relatives. and business ceeiicn,
Ws

- SePrem BE 30,1426 mun CmDbedds 147h. C :
_ the last being Ricardo on Cezeber—kr-1ai6. Leo says he has ~~ “C8

Se 'peen Posada on. about three occasions ‘since 1973, the last: being :
nJune 1976 when. Posada inquired if the: FBI had- interest. din

as Venezuelan who had hired two. of his "operatives" as ‘body
= aoe 7 ae

pe eo tie aemanmm

HY 50953 Docld: 32296782 Page 6

BT Ch woe SECRET
ne re / 5 * SENSITIVE ©

— Orlando. Bosch
| al Involvement in Crash: As noted above, | Bos sch was
“arrested i in: Venezuela for alleged involvement in the 2 Cubana’
rash. ‘In late June, a CIA Source reported that an: exile
~ “group headed. by Bosch planned ‘to bom a “cabana flight -pacwuce
Panama ‘and Havana. An PBI ‘spurce | has all eged that one at temp
oo was made but the bomb did not ye detonate. A cecona try: ecenr
an in ‘Jamaica on July 9, but the. bomb exploded. “gatoie tne! anil
case in which it was carried ‘was: put aboard ‘the Plane

G Bi Sas
"Recording voGra sources} Venezuelan President carlos

“Andres Perez. is: said to. be sympathetic | to Bosch, and has.

"permitted him to travel freely in the count ery and solicit fonds.

with the understanding. that Venezuela would not be used as au,

“base of operations | or place of. refuge. Bosch reportedly promised”

wel = not to engage “in terrorist activity while in “Venezuela and>

a receives a token $500 contribution from Perez. Grothe: CIA.

2 soured} reported that after Bosch' s- arrival in ‘Caracas in September,

“he stated during a fund _ raising dinner that "Now that our

Linton 4 hae Sate Lae sentence ate tht lie ape nn re t Falt dln Beta See ig fat cin deere

“organization has” come out of the ‘Letelier job looking good, we”

°

‘are going to try something else." A £ew days later, Posada ee

7 allegedly said, "We are going to hita Cuban. airliner" and. 7

Orlando (Bosch) has the details.".

4

}

go _ i

be Relationship with US. . CIA says there are no o current.
ay: . 2 a i

i

or recent, agency contacts: with Orlando Bosch

: currently. attempting to have Bosch Seportea from Venezuela

“SECRET ae ae
SENSITIVE

Laws

HY 50953 Docld: 32296782 Page 7

SECRET.
SENS TTEVE

ee #7

“to the US, whexe he is subject. ‘to “immediate impxisonmentt for a

nt]

~ parole violation epee

© Prank Castro |
a ol:

a. Involvement in cosane Venezuelan officials reportedly
> believe that Castro, (head of the FNC terrorist t ofganization, _
hoa component group’ in CORU) 8 deeply’ involved | in the crash, _ =
though we have no details of his supposed Anvolvenent._ Frank _

“| castro was in Venezuela ‘in late: September 1976, and in mid~

“october was. back in Miami. Frank Castro has admitted to FBI

- agents that ‘he met with Bosch in “Caracas. on September 26 or -

27, but denies any personal knowlege of ‘the bombing ° ‘Of the so

Cubana plane. —

py Relations ship with US; [Cra says there are no éurrent *”:

"or. recent agency contacts with Frank Castro . who | _is an.

os American citizen with permanent residence. in Santo Domingo. ,

~~ orlando Garcia and Ricardo Morales Navarrete

ey Be Involvement in Crash: Orlando Garcia is | President .

“e

Perez! security and intelligence advisor, and Morales is ‘“Garcia' s

deputy; both are Cuban exiles who are now Venezuelan citizens.
>)
fe CIA » sourcdfaains that Garcia. was “directed to protect ‘and
assist Bosch. during his stay ; in Venezuela. [Another CIA soured)

“reported that Garcia and Posada ‘met Bosch upon his. arrival and

~ escorted him to his hotel. . Both Garcia and Morales reportedly
_ attended the fund-raising dinner during which ‘Bosch allegedly
oo made the remark about the “Letelier job," and after the Cubana
ae oe OOP SECRET 4 at aes | |
ce SENSITIVE :

eat settee ten in sane tween He tee Enc Ri Atenas einen tee

HY 50953 Docld: 32296782 Page 6

: crash Garcia may have “made an effort to get Bosch out of
venezuela.” It. is possible, therefore that Garcia and/or
~ Moxales 3 may have known in advance about the operation which .

tee 4 ae) the bombing | of the plane.

be Relationship with US? .~

- Pelix Martinez Suarez
a. ~ Involvement in Crash: “None, except by the alleged

"association with Ricardo, contained in Fidel Castro’ s “charges.

b. Relationship with US: Ga says. ‘that Suarez was a

_ CIA media asset: from 1961 to January 1974 when he was”

| terminated as as a result of his exposure in the Venezuelan media)”
. castro’ Ss: allegation regarding CORU: with regard to.
castro! 8 charge on CIA links with CORU, an FBI report (of
” september 17 states» that Va confidential. source abroad" claims

. mo to have been told by Roberto Carballo (leader of the Association
ei?

Bo o£ veterans of the Bay of Pigs, avBC, one of the component. , me a ;
we, he

organizations of CORU) | that. in a July of this. year Carballo and ai!

“three other Cuban exiles haa ‘been “approached by representatives

: ae SECRET oe

Cee ee Oo. SENET TTUE CE Se

HY 50953 Docld: 32296782 Page 9

ase ee eles th vninictnan sa labensianad bhai? ca aciaca, tarnenbece ain rt aida vem eee

